Tamer Tournament "Familiar Cup"

The Tamer-exclusive tournament, the "Familiar Cup."

It was the gateway to fame for aspiring Tamers.

By placing in the top ranks of this tournament, one could earn the right to participate in the greatest annual spectacle: the "Grand Familiar Cup."

Because of that, every contestant's eyes burned with ambition.

Amidst all this, a lovely girl, like a single blooming flower, came to register for the tournament.

An elf with silver hair flowing behind him, clad in a black gothic dress.

The receptionist assumed he must have mistakenly signed up for a beginner-level event like the "Familiar Race" or "Familiar Competition" instead.

"Miss, this is registration for the 'Familiar Cup.' This isn't a beginner tournament, you know?"

"Ah, yes. I'll be fine."

The girl presented her D-rank adventurer's Guild Card and filled out the registration form.

Tamer name: Dea. Familiar: Arthur. That was it.

"Oh? Just one familiar?"

"Yes. Ah, was I supposed to have more than one?"

"That's not a requirement, but…"

Naturally, having multiple familiars gave you a better chance of winning.

Because of that, most contestants in the Familiar Cup came prepared with the maximum allowed number of six familiars.

"Just don't cry if you lose, okay?"

"I'll be fine."

The girl's bright smile made his heart skip a beat.

If this girl were to cry, he'd gladly offer him his shoulder, he thought.

And so, the Familiar Cup began.

It was a sixteen-person tournament bracket. This time there were exactly sixteen entries, so no byes were needed and no one had to fight extra matches.

Betting was also allowed in the Familiar Cup. The stakes weren't as high as the upper-tier tournaments, but there was still considerable money involved.

The unknown contestant "Dea" had odds of 20-to-1. Quite the long shot.

Normally the odds would have been even longer, but he had bet four gold coins on himself (contestants could only bet on themselves), which brought them down to this level.

While other contestants entered the venue with their familiars in tow, Dea had no familiar with him.

On top of that, he wore a frilly, fluttering black dress that wouldn't look out of place at a noble's ball.

He was clearly out of place, and the other contestants' gazes said as much.

"Contestant Dea. Where's your familiar? You'll be disqualified if you don't have even one, you know?"

"Ah. Sorry about that. I'll bring him out now."

With that, Dea held up a ball in his hand. A ball small enough to fit in his palm.

The other contestants wondered just how small a familiar had to be to fit in that ball.

"Come on out, Arthur."

He tossed the ball lightly. It burst open, and the familiar that emerged was—

GYUAAAAAAOOOOOON!!

—A Thunder Dragon.

A single creature more than capable of making up for the disadvantage of having no other familiars.

Had that massive body, as large as a carriage, really been inside the tiny ball now resting in his palm? How?

No, it must be some kind of mysterious tool capable of controlling dragons.

"Well then, shall we begin the first match?"

His smile was as angelic as it was deathly.